Safety ski binding



Oct. 31, 1967 5. P. J. SALOMON SAFETY SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1966 Fig. 2

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Attorney Oct; 31, 1967 a. P. .1. SALOMON SAFETY SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1966 INVENTOR: eor es RI Salomon BY 1 3s Attorney Oct. 31, 1967 G. P. J. SALOMON 3,350,110

SAFETY SKI BINDING Filed Aug. 24, 1966 V 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w mmmmm W Q T r A J1 mwww Fig.10

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Georg s f? I5 (omen Attorney Oct. 31, 1967 G. P. J. SALOMON 3,350,110

SAFETY SKI BINDING Fild Aug. 24, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .vfi' 242 Fig.15

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INVENTOR- eoyes Pf5a/oman BY (Karl TD Attorney United States Patent 3,350,110 SAFETY SKI BINDING Georges P. J. Salomon, 34 Avenue de Loverchy, Annecy, France Filed Aug. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 574,759 Claims priority, application France, Aug. 25, 1965,

29,465; Jan. 29, 1966, 47,738

Claims. (Cl. 280-11.35)

My present invention relates to a safety ski binding wherein two relatively movable elements, one of them fixed to a runner and the other in direct or indirect engagement with a boot, are normally held in a predetermined operative position from which they can be released in response to several abnormal stresses.

Various'means are knoWn for normally retaining the movable element of such ski binding, e.-g., a heel or toe clamp, in a predetermined operative position with reference to the fixed element, such as a base plate attached to the upper runner surface. In US. Patent 2,698,757 (Berlenbach), for example, a spring-loaded ball check is used for the yieldable immobilization of a rotatable toe-clamp carrier with reference to the runner; a similar system is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,867,446 (Rehacek). In these known devices, the ball-shaped detent member partly engages in a complementary recess of the opposite element under the sole pressure of its biasing spring so that any impact, however short, will dislodge it if its magnitude is suflicient to overcome the biasing force. There eXists, however, a certain tolerance level below which the body of a skier can readily absorb short stresses of a magnitude which, if sustained over long periods (e.g., as a result of a fall), would become extremely uncomfortable. A springloaded detent, on the other hand, cannot discriminate between stresses elfective over shorter and longer periods and will therefore release as soon as the stress reaches the threshold for which it has been set.

It is, therefore, the general object of my present invention to provide means in a ski binding for releasably interconnecting two relatively movable elements, such as a base plate and a toe or heel clamp, in a manner insuring that the normal operating position of these elements will be retained in the absence of severe abnormal stresses whose intensity, integrated over a period of time, exceeds a predetermined limit so that brief shocks of moderate intensity will be ineffectual.

This object is realized, pursuant to my present invention, by the provision of a dash-pot assembly as part of the means for retaining the two relatively movable elements in their operative position, the assembly forming a fluid chamber containing a hydraulic liquid such as oil which, under the action of one or more pistons, is displaceable through a restricted passage when the piston or pistons are set in motion by an incipient relative movement of the two elements.

The invention is applicable to ski bindings provided with the aforedescribed detents of the ball-check type, with the piston of the dash-pot assembly either bearing upon the ball check or acting independently thereof; it can also be used with bindings lacking such detents, e.g., those wherein a cable of other boot-engaging means is simply stressed against a boot by the operation of a toggle lever or similar latching device.

My invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a heel clamp forming part of a ski binding according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1, showing a different embodiment;

FIG. 3 is another view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the application of the invention to a cable tightener of a ski binding;

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view showing a toe clamp embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 4, showing another modification of the clamp; and

FIGS. 6-16 are cross-sectional views of a variety of dash-pot assemblies adapted to be interchangeably used in the embodiments of FIGS. 14.

FIG. 1 shows a toe clamp wherein, as generally disclosed in the aforementioned Berlenbach' patent, a clamp element 1 is rotatably mounted on a base plate 7 by means of a stud 6, the plate 7 being fixed to a runner 3 by wood screws 8. The front of the clamp is designed as a jaw laterally engaging the heel of a boot 2 (indicated in dot-dash lines), the boot being urged rearwardly by a conventional spring-loaded toe clamp not shown. In response to severe lateral stresses, the boot is free to swing out sideways with rotation of element -1 about the axis of stud 6, such rotation being normally prevented by a ball check 9 partly received in a circular hole 10 of base plate 7.

The retaining ball 9 is under downward pressure from a fiat piston 16 which is slidably mounted with the aid of a packing ring 17 in a fluid chamber 12 defined by an externally threaded sleeve 11; this sleeve is screwed into a vertical bore of element 1, offset from the stud 6, and is fixedly provided with a slitted top 26 by which it may be rotated with the aid of a screw driver.

A transverse partition 27 within the sleeve 11 is formed with a narrow aperture 20 for the passage of a hydraulic liquid 18 occupying the chamber 12. This liquid is confined by piston 16 below the partition and a counterpiston 21 above the partition, this counterpiston being similar to piston 16 and being overlain by an air space 22 which may be vented to the atmosphere, e.g., as shown in FIG. 6, or closed so that the air cushion therein elastically resists the upward movement of that piston. Each of the pistons 16, 21 is provided with an individual 'biasing spring 19 and 28 bearing upon the partition 27 and the top 26, respectively.

In the normal use of the ski, the clamp shown in FIG. 1 occupies the illustrated position in which it is held by the detent 9. In response to lateral stresses tending to rotate the element 1 on the base plate 7, ball 9 is cammed upwardly at a rate and to an extent determined by the intensity and duration of the stress. If the shock is of only moderate strength and abates quickly, insufiicient liquid will pass through the aperture 20 to enable a complete withdrawal of ball 9 from recess 10; as soon as the stress has ceased, the lower spring 19 through its piston 16 instantly restores ball 9 to its normal position while the upper spring 23 through its piston 21 gradually returns the displaced liquid 18 to the fluid space underneath partition 27. The bias of spring 19 alone should be so chosen (through rotation of sleeve 11) that the ball 9 can rise in response to any lateral stress which, if rapidly recurring or persisting over an extended period, would make the skier uncomfortable.

The heel clamp shown in FIG. 2 comprises a fixed element in the form of a block 32 permanently secured, by screws not shown, to the runner 3. Pivotally mounted on the block 32, by means of a horizontal pin 31, is a movable element 30 which swings in a vertical plane and bears from above upon the heel of boot 2. Element 30 has a camming surface 36 normally engaged by a ballshaped detent 37 forming part of a dash-pot assembly similar to that described in connection with FIG. 1. A piston 38, provided with two heads 39 and 39, is under pressure of a spring 46 within a fluid chamber formed by a horizontal bore of block 32. Spring 46 bears upon a screw cap 47 which threadedly engages a projection 32 of element 32; manual rotation of this cap enables adjustment of the spring pressure. A snap ring 41, fitted into .a peripheral recess of the fluid chamber, defines with the stem of piston 38 a restricted annular passage 42 for the hydraulic fluid.

The operation of the system of FIG. 2 is analogous to that of FIG. 1 except that the clamp is released by severe vertical stresses (tending to raise the heel of boot 2) rather than lateral horizontal stresses as in the preceding embodiment.

In FIG. 3 I have shown a cable tightener comprising an anchor block 56 which is longitudinally slidable along the runner 3, as indicated by arrow 57. A pair of parallel bolts 50 (only one shown) extend rearwardly from the block 56 and carry respective nuts 51 which serve as abutments for coil springs 52, the latter bearing upon a slider 53 to which a cable 54 is fastened. The cable 54 may be looped in the usual manner around the heel of a boot not shown in this figure. A toggle lever 55 is articulated to the block 56 by a transverse pin 58 and is pivotally mounted on the runner 3 by a linkage which has not been illustrated but may be generally similar to that shown in US. Patent No. 2,733,075 (Rehacek). When the lever 55 is depressed as seen in FIG. 3, spring 52 is compressed and cable 54 is tensioned around the boot of the skier. In this position the lever 55 and its associated linkage represent an element which is fixed with reference to the runner 3.

The pin 58 is in contact with a piston 59 forming part of a dash-pot assembly of the general character heretofore described. Piston 59 is fitted with the aid of a packing ring 60 in a bore 66 of block 56 occupied by a hydraulic liquid 61. A restricted passage 62 is formed in a transverse partition 64, beyond which a counterpiston 63 is held under pressure from a coil spring 67 which is adjusta-bly retained by a screw cap 68.

In response to severe pulls on the cable 54, not absorbed by the relatively stiff springs 52, block 56 with its dash-pot assembly moves toward the right to the extent permitted by the hydraulic resistance of its fluid chamber, thereby allowing a suflicient slackening of the cable to release the boot. It should be noted that the pin 58 is lodged in elongated cutouts 69 of block 56 which permit the necessary relative displacement of this block and the stationary lever assembly.

In FIG. 4 I have shown a toe clamp 70 which is horizontally pivotable on its base plate 76 screwed onto the runner 3, by being journaled on a stud shaft 72 rigid with that plate, the concave rear face 71 of the clamp element 70 bearing upon the toe of the boot 2. Shaft 72 has a frame 73 upon which bears the head of a piston 78 forming part of a dash-pot assembly generally similar to the one shown in FIG. 2. The assembly is lodged in a bore 74 of element 70 which has a threaded end engaged by a screw cap 77 serving to vary the stress of the biasing spring 75.

Under the pressure of its spring 75, piston 78 will tend to maintain its illustrated position relative to the flat face 73 of shaft 72. Even after the piston 78 has been forced back by the shaft 72 rotating relatively thereto, spring 75 will exert a restoring force which will be effective over a considerable angle of rotation to either side from the normal position illustrated.

FIG. shows another toe clamp whose swingable element 86 is pivotable around a shaft 90 which rises from a base plate 91, the latter being secured by screws 92 to the runner 3. A ball 9a forms part of a detent which is similar to the one shown in FIG. 1, except that this ball may be merely spring-loaded in the conventional manner instead of being under pressure of a hydraulic fluid. Clamping element 86 has a cylindrical recess 87 which is centered on the axis of shaft 90 and subdivided into two halves by a pair of radial ribs 89 extending in diametrically opposite direction from the shaft 90. Two stationary ribs 88, projecting inwardly from the periphery of recess 87, terminate short of the shaft 90 so as to form therewith two restricted passages 93.

Upon incipient relative rotation between the clamp 86 and the runner 3 in response to a lateral deflection of the boot 2, the ribs 89 of shaft act like pistons upon the fluid in the chamber 87, the displacement of this fluid being impeded by the small clearances 93. If the deflecting force is relatively weak and of short duration, the ball 9a will not be fully dislodged from its recess in the plate 91 and its loading spring will tend to return this ball to that recess, thereby camming the assembly back into the illustrated normal position.

I shall describe, in connection with FIGS. 6-16, a variety of modifications of the dash-pot assemblies shown in FIGS. 14. While the embodiments of FIGS. 6-16 are shown in part provided with a ball and in part equipped with a flat piston head, it will be apparent that the shape of the working end of each of these dash-pot assemblies may be modified to fit the bindings of any of FIGS. 1-4 or related structures.

In FIG. 6 I show an assembly comprising a cylinder 107 which forms a fluid chamber and has an open end occupied by a flat piston 108 in contact with a working plunger 111. The arrangement is otherwise generally similar to that of FIG. 1, except that the constricted passage for the hydraulic fluid 101 is formed by a peripheral gap in a transverse partition 104. A setscrew 102 in cylinder 107 is adjustable to vary the effective width of that gap and may be locked in position by a nut 103 bearing upon the cylinder wall through a washer 106. A vent 105 in the closed end of cylinder 107 connects the air space beyond counterpiston 109 with the outer atmosphere so that this piston is biased only by the pressure of its loading spring 110.

In FIG. 7, in which a cylinder receives a piston 113 engaged by a plunger 112, the associated counterpiston 117 has a stem 117' slidably guided in a central aperture of a transverse partition 114. Stem 117' is laterally recessed at 117", the depth of this recess varying over the length of the stern so that the effective width of the fluid passage through partition 114 will depend on the axial position of this counterpiston. In the specific arrangement illustrated, the recess 117" becomes progressively shallower toward the free end of stem 117 so that the hydraulic liquid 116 will pass through the partition 114, under pressure of piston 113, at a relatively high initial rate which decreases with further piston displacement. Such a variable fluid passage will be of particular use in a mechanism where, e.g. as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the piston co-operates with a camming surface engaging it under a varying angle of attack. Piston 113 is loaded by a spring 118; a packing disk 119 about the head of counterpiston 117 to provide airtight contact with the walls of cylinder 111.

In FIG. 8 there is shown a cylinder 124 with a single piston 120 engaged by a working plunger 121. A biasing spring 122 in fluid chamber 123 bears upon a partition 125 having a bleeding aperture 126 and a central bore accommodating a ball valve 127 which is under pressure of a relatively light spring 128. Ball 127 will be dislodged in response to strong fluid pressures to permit an increased flow through the partition; upon its return to its seat, aperture 126 allows the displaced hydraulic liquid to flow back slowly under pressure of the air volume in the fluid chamber.

FIG. 9 shows an assembly, similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 4, with a two-headed piston 129 in a fluid space 130 of an externally threaded cylinder 131; as in FIG. 1, the cylinder is closed opposite its working end by a slitted lid 133 which is soldered or otherwise made rigid with it to enable rotation of the cylinder in its supporting body 134. A biasing spring 128 bears upon an apertured partition 135 and the head of piston 129 proximal to ball 136.

FIG. 10 shows another modification of the dash-pot assembly of FIGS. 2 and 4 wherein the piston stem 140, surrounded with annular clearance by a snap ring 141 in a sleeve 142, is of noncylindrical shape, its varying diameter serving to change the effective width of the constricted fluid passage in the manner described with reference to FIG. 7.

In FIG. 11, in which the two relatively movable elements are again a clamp member 202 and a base plate 206, a spherical detent 201 is held in engagement with a recess 203 of plate 206 by a dash-pot assembly whose piston comprises an elastic membrane 209 and a spacer block 212 bearing upon the ball 201. Membrane 209 spans the open end 216 of a cylinder 217 having a transverse partition 204 with a central aperture 210. A biasing spring 207 is compressed between the partition 204 and a protective disk 213 resting against a face of membrane 209. The hydraulic liquid in fluid chamber 211 has been indicated at 208.

The system of FIG. 11 operates substantially in the same manner as the dash-pot assemblies heretofore described except that the elasticity of the membrane 209 supplements the biasing force of spring 207 and of the air volume compressed within space 211.

In FIG. 12 the movable element is divided into two firmly interconnected portions 220 and 221 between which two flexible membranes 222 and 223 are clamped with interposition of a porous disk 226. This disk forms a liquid-permeable partition in a fluid chamber defined by the two membranes, the interstices of this partition constituting a restricted passage for the liquid therein. This liquid is under pressure from a spring 228, acting through a shoe 229 which rests against the membrane 222, the spring pressure being adjustable by a screw cap 227 threaded into clamp portion 220. Membrane 223 is in direct contact with locking ball 201. Disk 226 may be peripherally coated or impregnated to prevent any leakage of the hydraulic fluid. Membrane 222 may again be of the elastic type in order to help maintain the ball 201 in its operating position.

FIG. 13 again shows a two-part movable element 232, 233 between which a flexible membrane 231 is clamped. A spring 237 bears upon a plunger 236 which, in direct contact with membrane 231, is lodged in a recess of part 233. A partition 234 in fluid chamber 238, formed within the other part 232, again'defines a restricted passage 235 for the hydraulic liquid. The restoring force for this liquid is here supplied merely by the air cushion in space 238.

In FIG. 14, which shows an arrangement generally similar to that of FIG. 11, a membrane 241 clamped between two relatively fixed portions 242, 243 of a movable element is under pressure from a spring 244 acting against a centrally apertured partition 245. Seated 1n the aperture of this partition is a porous ball 246 held in position by an auxiliary spring 247, generally in the manner described with reference to ball 127 and spring 128 of FIG. 8. Owing to the porosity of the ball 246, liquid may pass through it even in its illustrated normal position (under the pressure of the compressed air 1n space 248) so that the provision of bleeding aperture (as shown at 126 in FIG. 8) becomes unnecessary.

The system of FIG. 15 is generally similar to that of FIG. 12 except that the fluid chamber for the liquid 208 is here formed by a sleeve 256 with a restricted passage 257 spanned on its open ends by a pair of flexible membranes 251 and 252. Membrane 251 is under pressure from a spring 253, again held with adjustable pressure by a screw cap 254, whereas membrane 252 bears directly upon ball 201 to a central reinforcement 258.

In FIG. 16 the fluid chamber is formed as a completely closed flexible bag 260 containing the liquid 208. This bag is externally reinforced by a rigid sleeve 262 having a bange 266 which projects inwardly to deform a portion of the bag and define a restricted passage 261. Sleeve 262 is seated against a shoulder 266 in a bore 263 of the movable binding element 264. Bag 260' is under pressure from a spring 265 received in a screw cap 267.

While a variety of constructions embodying my prescut invention have been particularly described and illustrated, it will be apparent that many more modifications can be devised, e.g., through combinations or interchange of features from the various assemblies separately shown. It should also be borne in mind that the element hearing the dash-pot assembly need not necessarily be the movable clamp body, although this will usually be most convenient, but that the system could readily be reversed by placing this assembly on the fixed base plate for operative engagement of the movable element. These and other variations, readily apparent to persons skilled in the art, are intended to be embraced within the space and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ski binding having a first element fixed to a runner, boot-engaging means including a second element secured to said first element with at least limited relative mobility, and retaining means normally preventing relative motion of said elements, the improvement wherein said retaining means includes a dash-pot assembly forming a fluid chamber and comprising piston means on one of said elements bearing upon the other of said elements, said fluid chamber having a restricted passage for a hydraulic liquid displaceable by said piston means upon movement thereof from a normal position in response to severe abnormal stresses.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a detent member yieldably interconnecting said elements, and means including said dash-pot assembly maintaining said detent member operatively positioned in the absence of said abnormal stresses.

3. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said detent member comprises a ball check on one of said elements normally engaging in a recess on the other of said elements.

4. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said detent member comprises a ball on said first element normally contacting a camming formation of said second element.

5. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said detent member comprises a shaft rigid with one of said elements, the other of said elements being rotatably journaled on said shaft, said shaft having a flat normally engaged by said piston means.

6. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said detent member is a shaft rigid with one of said elements, said piston means comprising at least one rib projecting laterally from said shaft, said fluid chamber being formed in the other of said elements and being centered on the axis of said shaft while maintaining substantially fluid-tight overall contact with said rib.

7. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said dash-pot assembly further comprises resilient means bearing upon said piston means and urging same into contact with said other of said elements.

8. The improvement defined in claim 7 wherein said piston means comprises a first piston proximal to said other of said elements and a second piston remote from said others of said elements, said pistons being separated from each other by the liquid in said fluid chamber, said resilient means bearing upon at least said second piston.

9. The improvement defined in claim 8 wherein said fluid chamber has an internal partition with an aperture constituting said restricted passage, one of said pistons having a stem guided in said aperture and partly obstructing same, said stern being of varying cross-section for changing the effective, width of said passage in different positions of said one of said pistons.

10. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said dash-pot assembly further comprises a spring-loaded valve body yieldably lodged in said restricted passage.

11. The improvement defined in claim 10 wherein said valve body is porous for permitting some liquid flow through said passage even in a normal position in which said passage is fully obstructed by said body.

12. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said piston means includes part of a flexible membrane confining the hydraulic liquid in said fluid chamber.

13. The improvement defined in claim 12 wherein said membrane forms a closed bag around said hydraulic liquid.

14. The improvement defined in claim 13 wherein said dash-pot assembly further comprises a rigid sleeve surrounding said bag, said sleeve having at least one inter- 5 in said fluid chamber forming said restricted passage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,867,446 1/1959 Rehacek 280-11.35

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

L. D. MORRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SKI BINDING HAVING A FIRST ELEMENT FIXED TO A RUNNER, BOOT-ENGAGING MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND ELEMENT SECURED TO SAID FIRST ELEMENT WITH AT LEAST LIMITED RELATIVE MOBILITY, AND RETAINING MEANS NORMALLY PREVENT ING RELATIVE MOTION OF SAID ELEMENTS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID RETAINING MEANS INCLUDES A DASH-POT ASSEMBLY FORMING A FLUID CHAMBER AND COMPRISING PISTON MEANS ON ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS BEARING UPON THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID FLUID CHAMBER HAVING A RESTRICTED PASSAGE 